Author's Notes: Hey everyone, glad that you liked the last chapter, hope you like this one as well, as always I own nothing. SPOILERS FROM THE BOOKS.
Sansa returned to her tent to find Yara and Alysane were already there and waiting for her. Alysane nodded her head as Sansa entered the tent, Yara did not. Sansa went to the table and poured wine into two cups and handed one to Alysane, she indicated another glass to Yara and allowed her to pour a glass for herself. After they had all drunk some Sansa began to talk.
"We march at dawn, as you two heard. I shall see what I can do about getting horses for you two." As she paused she considered the irony that it was she who was now responsible for others. Still, she supposed that if she really was destined to rule the North she would have to get used to it. Before she could begin to speak again Yara raised her hands and shook them, making her chains rattle.
"While we are discussing preparations, are these truly necessary. I give my word I will not try to run away or try to hurt you." Alysane snorted, but before she could say anything Sansa spoke.
"Yes," she said, her voice cold. "They are. My brother made a mistake when he trusted your brother. As you may have heard that mistake cost my family a great deal. I will not make that same mistake he made. I doubt my family could recover from such a mistake again."
"My brother, whatever else he might have been, was an idiot who overreached his grasp. I wouldn't make the same mistake. The King has surrounded himself with people who hold little love for Ironborn. The only thing that stands between them and me, is you. If I were to do anything to harm you every Northman in the army would be after my blood in a heartbeat. I gain nothing from acting against you."
"Her ladyship said the chains stay on." Alysane said. "So they stay on."
"She is correct." Sansa said, rising to see to the arrangements. "Your brother seemingly had nothing to gain either but that did not stop him." Before Yara could say anything else Sansa turned and left the tent.
As the King had ordered the army marched at dawn, or at least pretty close. As they marched towards Winterfell their numbers were swelled still further. They were joined by groups of men among them were some of her brother's men…her men now she supposed. They had been sent by her brother Brandon to fight the Ironborn before Theon seized Winterfell and had been in hiding ever since. Many of them had died, of the original two hundred there were barely half left. Yet they still marched with pride and one of them had even saved a Stark banner. It filled her heart with pride to see the direwolf flying again.
At first the march went well and they moved with little difficulty. The weather, while cold did little to hinder their progress. Sansa found that her greatest difficulty was the fact that she could no longer enter animals to scout ahead. She how had Yara and Alysane in her tent, both of whom were of great fascination to Shireen. The girl would come to Sansa's tent almost every night. Despite, Sansa suspected, the strong disapproval of both her mother and Sir Davos. Still, Shireen was as bright and charming as ever and she soon won Alysane and Yara over, or pretty close, with both women found the princess's eagerness to hear all about Bear Island and the Iron Islands to be amusing.
Sansa did not find some of those with the King to be as agreeable, one of the worst was Sir Justin Massey. He was a large man with pink cheeks, blue eyes and white blonde hair. Though he had a glib tongue and a pleasing manner Sansa did not like him. The main reason for his dislike was that he paid her a good deal of unwanted attention. Before leaving Castle Black the King and Lady Melisandre had formally dissolved her marriage to Lord Tyrion and though the King had made no mention of it Sansa knew that he would eventually find a new husband for her, a prospect that she was not looking forward to and it was clear that Sir Massey hoped to be that man, a marriage which would give him lordship of the North if they were to succeed.
Just as bad, if not worse, in his own way was Sir Clayton Suggs, a short, burly man with a balding head and a mouthful of broken brown teeth. He seemed as cruel as Joffrey, always boasting of how he had tortured people, especially women, in the past. At night Sansa would see him by the fire Lady Melisandre would light every night and would just stare at it with a look which made Sansa uneasy. On several times he had called for Yara to be burned, he claimed that it would gain the favor of the Lord of Light and ensure their victory. Fortunately, the King refused as she was too valuable as a hostage. It was not that Sansa cared for the other woman, it was just she did not desire to see someone burn, even an Ironborn. Soon; however, there were greater things to be concerned with.
The weather began to rapidly deteriorate, with wind and increasingly heavy snow. The Mountain Clans men took the changing weather in stride and they and their horses seemed little affected by the changing weather. The King and the men he had brought with him did not fare as well and their suffering only increased as the weather continued to worsen. As the snow continued the army found its progress slowing. This was especially bad as food began to grow short. Sansa sent out some of her men to hunt, sometimes they came back with nothing and sometimes they did not come back at all, a fact which weighed heavily on her conscience. She understood now why her father had often told Robb about the burdens of leadership and she could only imagine how hard it had been for Robb leading his men and ordering them into battle and how difficult it must be for Jon, who would soon be leading his men against…against something which seemed to be more real the colder the weather grew.
Finally, the snow brought the army almost to a halt, the men on horseback could move only with great effort while those on foot could not move at all. As their progress slowed the fear began that they would be trapped and that their supplies would run out. The hunting parties had brought back some food but it was not enough for the whole army. In desperation they began to kill and eat the horses. The King grew more irritable in councils and Sansa, who had learned how to survive irritable monarchs, kept silent as much as possible, not that her opinion was asked much. More disturbing was the fact that some of the councilors were calling for a sacrifice to the Lord of Light to end the snow and clear the path to Winterfell.
The named most mentioned was Yara, the daughter of a king and non-believer. Surely, the argument went, the Lord of Light would be pleased by such an offering. The King would still not hear of it and Sansa was sympathetic to his choice, she had no love of the Ironborn, but neither did she want to see anyone burn. Strangely Lady Melisandre also seemed less enthusiastic to the burning of Yara than Sansa expected her to be. That made Sansa suspicious, so much so that when one of the councils ended Sansa sought out some privacy and entered into the mind of an owl. She flew to the entrance of the King's tent and positioned herself to listen in. As she had expected the Queen was not there but Lady Melisandre there.
"My King," she said, "The Lord of Light can melt this snow and clear the way to your victory. But the Lord of Light requires a sacrifice from you before he will grant you this."
"It doesn't say much of your god if one must barging with him like a merchant at the market."
"You should not speak that way about the Lord of Light my King." Lady Melisandre said. "He has power but something must be given."
"I will not have a burning, half or more of my army is made up of nonbelievers, if you want your god to do something, pray harder."
"My King, you are Azor Ahai reborn, you know what sacrifice is required." She may have said more but the King turned on her and seized her by the throat.
"She is my daughter and if you ever mention this matter again…" He let his voice trail off, though the implied threat remained in the air. After a moment he released her and moved to the back of the tent.
"As you say my King." She said as she turned and left the tent. At the entrance she turned and looked straight into the owl Sansa was controlling's eyes. She made a motion with her hands and the owl burst into flames.
Pain was like nothing that Sansa had endured at the hands of Joffrey and his men, she smelled the owl's feathers and skin burn and felt the later as well, like a thousand needles being driven into her skin. She and the owl both shrieked in pin and she felt a pain in her head so intense that a blinding white light filled her vision blinding her. With a final cry of pain she ripped or was ripped from the owl's body and crashed back into her own body.
She opened her eyes and found herself in her own body. Her head was spinning and felt as if someone had driven a red-hot spike through his she felt as if she was going to be sick. With an effort she forced the contents of her stomach down and slowly sat up, one hand clutching her head. As she did so she saw that Alysane and Yara had both come to her bed and were looking at her oddly and with some concern.
"Are you alright Lady Stark?" Alysane asked.
"I am fine," Sansa replied quickly; "I just had a bad dream." She had the feeling that they did not believe her so she moved quickly to divert attention she turned and called the servant that her uncle had lent her.
"Go to the Royal tent and invite the Princess to my tent." As the man left the tent Sansa rose and through a heavy cloak over herself.
"I need some air, wait here for the Princess." She told the other two as she left the tent.
Night was falling along with the snow and the air was bitter cold. Never the less, the air helped ease the pain in her head, which slowly slid away. She turned to head back to her tent and found herself confronting Lady Melisandre. The other woman walked toward Sansa, seemingly not bothered by the cold.
"Are you alright my lady?" She asked, her voice touched with just a touch of concern which was belied by a hint of a smile at the corner of her mouth.
"I am quite alright." Sansa replied, her own voice as calm as Melisandre's was. Both knew the truth but neither would be the first to say anything. "Just enjoying the night air."
"That is good; though some may call being out on such a night foolish." She gave a smile which Sansa found even colder than the weather. "So many people bring harm onto themselves by engaging in foolish actions."
"Indeed," Sansa replied simply. "Though some may say if one woman is foolish for going out in the cold, then two are doubly so. Surly the King would be most grieved were an ill fate to befall you." Lady Melisandre gave a laugh.
"Oh the King need have no fear. The Lord of Light himself sustains me and I do not feel the cold, but I thank you for your concern."
"Think nothing my lady." Sansa said. "Now you must excuse me, I feel I have had enough air and I shall be getting back to my tent."
"Of course, good night my lady." Lady Melisandre replied. "And allow me to wish you a good night and pleasant dreams." This last was said with a slight nod of the head.
"And to you as well." Sansa said, also nodding slightly. When Sansa returned to her tent she found Shireen waiting for her in her tent.
"Lady Sansa," she said as Sansa entered; "Is something wrong?"
"No, of course not." Sansa said, the lie coming easily to her lips. She moved rapidly to change the subject "I merely wished to see you. Your Lady Mother will not object to your being here at this late hour?"
"She won't mind, she is at her prayers and Father is too busy to notice." Sansa listened for signs of sadness but heard none, it seemed that the Princess was used to neglect from her parents.
Shireen stayed with Sansa as the march continued to slow. To the Princesses delight Sansa invited her to stay every night in her tent, she had had the servants move the Princesses bed to her tent. Alysane and Yara were naturally curious as to the sudden change in Sansa's behavior, once she was certain that no one was listening she informed them of what she had heard, though she kept how exactly she had heard it. Alysane was horrified and Yara revolted. Sansa got them to agree help keep an eye on the Princess, in exchange Sansa promised Yara that she would intercede with the King on her behalf when the time came.
One morning, several days after Sansa had invited Shireen to come to her tent, her uncle came and told her that a council had been called by the King. When they arrived at the King's tent they saw that the majority of those who attended the councils were already present. Sansa had not been there long when the King entered. Sansa saw immediately that the King was angry, she swore she could hear his teeth grinding. All bowed and waited for him to speak. For a moment he stood there in silence, glaring at them all, then he began to speak.
"Sir Davos is dead." For a moment they all stood in stunned silence before someone found their voice.
"How?" Someone asked.
"He went to White Harbor to treat with Lord Wyman Manderly and Lord-too-fat-to-sit-a horse killed him at the behest of the Lannisters."
Sansa was stunned. She remembered Lord Manderly, he had always seemed so jolly and kind, she could not believe this, but it had to be so. Then the King began to speak again and what he said blew all thoughts of Lord Manderly from her mind.
"Roose Bolton and his bastard son have gone to Winterfell with their allies. The usurper Tommen has granted the boy legitimacy and Roose intends that he should marry your sister Lady Stark."
"Arya?!" Sansa said in shock; "But she has not been seen in weeks!"
"It seems that she was found by Bolton men and now the Bastard intends to wed her to strengthen their hold on the North."
Sansa felt her breath catch in her throat, the thought of her sister being close filled her with the old mixture of fear and longing. But there was another feeling as well, dread. She remembered the old stories of the Boltons, how they flayed their enemies, including the Starks of old, alive and now Arya was being wed to the son of the man who had murdered her brother and mother. Oblivious to her thoughts the King continued to speak.
"The Umbers are camped in the woods near Winterfell. They lack the numbers to assault Winterfell but they have attacked the patrols set out by the Boltons. Once we reach Winterfell we shall join up with them."
"But Your Grace," Lord Tully interjected; "With the weather being what it is it could be weeks before we reach Winterfell."
"Our scouts have found a crofters village between two lakes near here." The King replied; "We shall march there and wait for the storm to end. Once it abates we will finish marching to Winterfell, it should take us about three days once the weather improves. That is all." With that, the council was dismissed.
Author's Notes: Hey everyone, sorry it has been so long final week of school and you probably know what that is like. As you can see a mixture of the show and book. I was trying to have a verbal dance between Sanaa and the Red Woman, how did I do? Till next time please pray for the Americans held in Iran and all others held and punish unjustly, including Raif Badawi enduring lashing for his blogs the homeless and sick the victims of crime and human trafficking the sick and all others who need prayer. Bye and may Jesus bless you.